1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to safety equipment for use at construction sites and, more particularly, is concerned with a safety post assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The construction of most commerical building and residential homes typically involves considerable risk to craftsmen and others moving around the building site during the early stages of construction. Until framing of the structure is finished there is really no way to protect these persons as they work near edges of floors and staircases.
Regulations of the Occupational, Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of the U.S. Government require the introduction of safety structures along locations which entail risk of fall for persons on the site. To satisfy OSHA regulations, these structures must exceed certain minimum lateral load requirements without experiencing permanent deformation or component failure. One safety rail system which has been tried in the past employed a safety post construction which included a rigid tubular metal post fixedly mounted upright on a flat rectangular plate which is screwed to the flooring. However, this safety post construction failed to withstand the minimum lateral load during testing and thus is unacceptable under current OSHA regulations.
Consequently, a need still exists for improvements in the design of safety rail systems so as to meet OSHA regulations.